Tony Blair 'Very Confident' About Thailand's Future

[webfact]

THE CEO FORUM

Blair 'very confident' about Thailand's future

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation

Thailand, despite suffering through a severe flood crisis and other difficulties, still has great potential for business and growth in the face of a fast-changing global environment, former British prime minister Tony Blair said.

Speaking to hundreds of Thai and foreign executives yesterday at the CEO Forum organised by the Board of Investment, Blair said he was confident about the future of Thailand because there were many positive factors bolstering its growth. "Thailand has better investment potential than other countries in Asia and it's ready for the future despite its current difficulties," he said.

Blair also said that Europe was to blame for the current global economic crunch and that long-term structural reform was needed to solve the euro crisis. To do this, the European Central Bank should stand behind the single currency and focus on creating a new economic system. He added that the European financial crunch was a good lesson for the rest of the world. "The world is changing fast, and the challenge is not just for a company but also the country and the government."

He said that to keep up with changes and technological developments, countries needed to adopt four strategies.

First, each country should be strongly committed to providing clear regulations and rules of law for the business sector.

"Governments need to create an environment in which businesses are confident," he advised.

Second, social welfare, the government and service enterprises should grow together and change to support the private sector. He said public service would only work if it was flexible and kept up with technology.

Third, both the government and private sector should focus on the development of human capital, which is key to a bright future. He said a competent set of human resources needed not just education, but also an increase in creativity, respect of intellectual property and the development of job skills.

Finally, Blair said, governments should teach their people to be more open-minded, especially in terms of trade and investment, which would help promote stronger global economic growth.

-- The Nation 2012-01-18

[webfact]

With new found time, ex-British PM enjoys being able to focus on single issues of concern

The Nation

Tony Blair, former UK prime minister, told Nation Group Editor-in-Chief Suthichai Yoon how he enjoys life after 10 years in Downing Street. Blair also talked about how he felt about the departure of Muammar Gadhafi, the late leader of Libya. Here's an exerpt from yesterday's interview that Mr Blair gave to Suthichai at the CEO Forum at the Board of Investment Fair.

Suthichai Yoon: In your memoir, you said that you enjoyed your new life more than the old life. How is that possible, old life meaning prime minister for 10 years?

Tony Blair: Being prime minister is a huge privilege. "Enjoy" is the wrong word because the pressure is also enormous. And the thing is that you have to deal with everything that comes at you. In my new life, I am able to concentrate on certain things; it might be the Middle East or my faith foundation, African chairities, or climate change. I am able to concentrate on certain key issues and the pressures aren't the same. My new life is probably more enjoyable. But my old life was a privilege.

SY: What is more productive?

TB: It's productive in a different way. Funny enough, when I was prime minister, I increased our aid to Africa. I trebled it; that's one impact. But today I work with the governments in Africa to make change. And I also have an impact but it's different.

SY: Is the sense of satisfiction more now than before?

TB: Not more but it's equal. So one of the foundations that I like to do here in Thailand is how you get people in different faiths and different cultures together to learn about different cultures and traditons. I have foundations operating in many countries to get people in school to learn about different faiths. Something I could never do as prime minister. But I can do it now

SY: If you were prime minister now, what would be your advice to the euro-zone leaders in dealing with the debt crisis?

TB: If Europe wants to save the single currency, it's got to demonstrate that Europe, as a whole, including creditor nations, are 100 per cent committed to standing behind the European currency. If you are not willing to do that, the market will contuine to demand very high amounts of money for Italian and Spanish bonds. And in the end, it will become unsustainable. The whole point about the single currency is that it has to correct the essential design flaw that that was there in the original concept when the politics and economics weren't in alignment.

SY: Are they alligning?

TB: There's growing alignment in politics and economics. They are taking measures. We've come a long way but the time is short. And the situation is critical. It is a very difficult decision, by the way. So I have total symphathy for leaders who take this decision. The risk is they take the decision two months behind the curve. So you constantly take the decisions just when the curve has already moved on.

SY: One step behind the crisis?

TB: Yes.

SY: Do you think that the German chancellor and French president are really up to the task?

TB: They are both highly capable, very committed people. This is incredibly difficult. The worst thing in politics is when you face these choices. There is no middle way and both choices are ugly. And that's the situation.

SY: How would you advise them?

TB: To break up the single currency will be very severe and bad for Germany, bad for the creditor countries. So my view is that they should make a full commitmnet to the single currency.

SY: Is the bailout package at the moment sufficient?

TB: Not if people think there's a limit to how far you are prepared to go. If you hold Italian bonds and you think there's any prospect of the bonds not being honoured, you are going to demand a high premium. The difference between the US and Europe is that for the central bank, in the end, they can stand by their currency. It's not possible to walk out. There is a long-term question that Germany is rightly focusing on, which is to do with reforming the European structure, in my view. These are long term issues. In the short term, people need to know that Europe is behind this currency. If they believe there is any gap in that commitment, even small gap, you have trouble.

SY: Since you left office five years ago, has the world become a less dangerous place?

TB: It has not become a less dangerous place. My view of this is, you've got the basic question on security, which is the question about radical Isliam. It is a long-term issue that will take generations to defeat. It requires security to deal with. My view of this, to which some disagree strongly, is that we've got the basic question on security terms. The question about Islamic extremism will take a generation to deal with. This not a short term fix. It requires security measures and, on the other hand, it requires us to realise that it's part of the religious problem. And you've got to deal with it.

SY: Is it a security or religious problem?

TB: It's combined - the underlying root of this lies in a perversion of it. People engage in this, believing that they deal with religion. People find religion a difficult issue in politics. So, people want to say it's a religions issue not politics. You can say that. So, if you don't deal with the religious aspect, you don't deal with the issue. Extremists are prepared to use terrorist measures to kill innocent people, so you need to have security in place. But the deeper question lies in culture, where people believe religion is very important, and people who don't share their religion are the enemy.

SY: We just had a warning from the US and British embassies about a possible terrorist atatck by a Hezbollah group in Bangkok. You have been to the Middle East many times; do you think that the Arab Spring and the regional security issues would together make the world less stable?

TB: They do make the world less stable. That's why it is important in Middle East. The risk is very clear. The obvious impulse behind the demonstrations is decmoracry and freedom, but the emerging force in the Middle East is the Muslim Brotherhood.

SY: Is it a good or bad thing?

TB: It's only good if there's a process of change and reform that happens in that organisation, because if you end up in the organisation you believe that people who don't believe in your religion are your enemy. I think the Muslim Brotherhood covers a wide spectrum; you can look at the party in Tunisia, the leader of that party says sensible things.

SY: Was the departure of Muammar Gadhafi a good sign or bad sign for the Middle East? You met him many times? How many times?

TB: I probably met him six times. He had a choice, and that's the choice for this type of regime. He changed his external policies, gave up nuclear and chemical weapons. But in the end, I am afriad he was not prepared to change the system of his government, and he ended up killing his own people. So, in the end, his removal was the right thing. But what now transpires in Libya must be a good thing, I hope so. We have to see.

SY: What kind of man was Gadhafi? Was he basically as crazy as he has often been portrayed?

TB: Not in the sense of anyone who stays in power for 40 years. He had certain attributes. But the problem was he could not see, in the end, the change that you've got to make in the world today. You have to open up the country, make some reforms, but tentative. They were not prepared to give up power. The same as is happening in Syria today. You've got to understand that you cannot have a system where power is handed over from father to son like that; it does not work.

SY: There is a shift of power to the East. US President Barack Obama has announced that America is back in Asia, and Asia is going to be a very important stragetic partner. Do you agree with this analysis?

TB: Yes, the shift to the East is the paradigm shift of 21 st century geopolitics for sure. If you think of world history in the 20 th century and how we looked at it, it was dominated by the West. Two World Wars, the rise of America, the Societ Union.

Today it's obviously China and India, and countries like Thailand, part of the Asean bloc.

SY: Is there a decline of the West?

TB: The West is smart about this. It's more the rise of the East, not the decline of the West. What we are going to accept in the West is that we have to have a partnership. Why not? It's a good idea. The way the world is changing offers us a great opportunity. You've got a situation today where GDP and the nation's output is be going to realigned with population. So, the biggest economies in the world will have the biggest population. China has 1.3 billion people, Britain 60 million, Thailand 65 million. So, you know, go work it out. We've got to make China a partner, we've got to see China as an opporinity

SY: Do you see China as a possible threat to the West?

TB: I don't think the rise of China per se is a threat to the West at all. How China develops politically and economically will be important and I hope it undergoes benign evolution and development, and I think it will. China offers us a great opportuntiy for partnership. I go to China a lot. I think we've got to understand that for the Chinese, they still cope with the fact that hundreds of milions of people are living in poverty. They've got a very well developed part of China. But the thing about China is, it's a bit like the United States in the sense that if you go to Washingon DC or New York, do you know America? The answer is no. If you go to Beijing and Shanghai, do you know China? The answer is no.

SY: Do you have any advice for Thailand in achieving political reconciliation? We have been affected by political conflict for at least five or six years.

TB: I think the most important thing for Thailand is to realise it does actually have an inmense opportunity, which should really feature bigger than the disagreement. This is not for me to say. We have to work out a way out to achieve reconciliation. But I think it's easier to do that, and it's my experience, for example in Northern Ireland, if people have the sense of opportunity. And the opportunity for Thailand is that Asean is one of the fastest developing areas in the world. Thailand's got a good chance to be a gateway into Asaen - probably one of the best places to do business. People are well liked and respected. In spite of political problems, there's resilence and opportunity that can carry you through. You've got to handle reconciilicion yourself, no one can do that for you. But politicians from all sides should give the people some sense of opportunuty for Thailand in the future.

-- The Nation 2012-01-18

[OzMick]

Just another paid mouth - about as believable as Amsterdam.

[kartman]

Getting in early I'm sure somebody in Dubai was seething that should be me to see a former prime minister standing in Thailand in front of his name in large words preceeded by 'His Excellency" . there done it

[StevieH]

tony blair is 'very confident' about the future of anybody who pays him enough.

[exeter]

Nice little unoffensive fireside chat, pass me the port will you there is a good chap! Cheque is in the post jolly good show, been a very rewarding little trip to your neck of the woods, already thinking about a follow up. Thinks " I could become a mediator in your reconciliation!" Does not matter if takes forever, still getting paid by the hour. Lifes is a beach and you should know you have some great ones here, difficult to turn down some of the wonderfully lucrative offers I have had since retiring from PM, it seems I just get richer and richer and all I do is talk a load of bull, do hope no one realizes!

Edited January 18, 2012 by exeter

[pepi2005]

That's what the world was waiting for:

the opinion of Tony Blair on the European economy and some 'palm reading'

(after the banknotes in it have been pocketed) on the future of Thailand.

[geriatrickid]

Mrs. Thatcher would not have engaged in similar activity.

The Iron Lady was not for turning.

[crazykopite]

Oh dear if Blair is spewing out such crap I have to wonder how much he was paid

[MaiChai]

Obviously someone values his opinions enough to pay him to come over and espouse them...

Whats that about consultants: they borrow your watch to tell you the time? Stating the obvious but it has more weight? Ask a consultant how to do something and they will reply 'depends...'? Talk is cheap, unless you have to pay someone like Tony Blair to say it?

So where are the weapons of mass destruction?

Edited January 18, 2012 by MaiChai

[BWPattaya]

Nice little unoffensive fireside chat, pass me the port will you there is a good chap! Cheque is in the post jolly good show, been a very rewarding little trip to your neck of the woods, already thinking about a follow up. Thinks " I could become a mediator in your reconciliation!" Does not matter if takes forever, still getting paid by the hour. Lifes is a beach and you should know you have some great ones here, difficult to turn down some of the wonderfully lucrative offers I have had since retiring from PM, it seems I just get richer and richer and all I do is talk a load of bull, do hope no one realizes!

Well written post.

I used to have great respect for Tony Blair, until he believed Bush about WMDs and then admitted that religion played a part in his decision making. He kept quiet about how religious he was whilst in office, then converted to Catholiscism after leaving his post as Pime Minister.

[anon467367354]

the "change" Gadhafi had to make was join the Rothschild banking cartel or die. Blair is full of $h!t

[avalonmick]

The real worry is,if this is what he's been paid to say because it gets a lot of media space, then what is the true position?

Can we take up a collection and then pay him to say what he really thinks?

[sparebox2]

I am most disapointed that Mr. Blair wore a blue tie in the photo. Isn't he a Red Labour party boss?

[DiamondKing]

He is a complete MUPPET and mean it in both senses a PUPPET and a MUPPET he ruined the UK and should go and crawl under a rock

DK

[sparebox2]

He is a complete MUPPET and mean it in both senses a PUPPET and a MUPPET he ruined the UK and should go and crawl under a rock

DK

I think he is paid (maybe by Thaksin, I have no proof) to deliver the message.

Frankly, I am not sure he he believe his own message; that's the quality of a GOOD politican.

[anterian]

Any time Blair is confident, I feel worried. If he is "very confident" I am very worried.

[wineman]

This man is the kiss of death to any economy.

[bigbamboo]

Nice little unoffensive fireside chat, pass me the port will you there is a good chap! Cheque is in the post jolly good show, been a very rewarding little trip to your neck of the woods, already thinking about a follow up. Thinks " I could become a mediator in your reconciliation!" Does not matter if takes forever, still getting paid by the hour. Lifes is a beach and you should know you have some great ones here, difficult to turn down some of the wonderfully lucrative offers I have had since retiring from PM, it seems I just get richer and richer and all I do is talk a load of bull, do hope no one realizes!

Well written post.

I used to have great respect for Tony Blair, until he believed Bush about WMDs and then admitted that religion played a part in his decision making. He kept quiet about how religious he was whilst in office, then converted to Catholiscism after leaving his post as Pime Minister.

This man CHOSE Catholicism?

Edited January 18, 2012 by bigbamboo

[razer]

OMG!!! When was the last time Tony Blair got it right?

[stu99]

He is a complete MUPPET and mean it in both senses a PUPPET and a MUPPET he ruined the UK and should go and crawl under a rock

DK

Well said Diamond King!!

[stu99]

This man is the kiss of death to any economy.

Wise words!!

[samtam]

"The whole point about the single currency is that it has to correct the essential design flaw that that was there in the original concept when the politics and economics weren't in alignment."

...surely something that he didn't care to pronounce on when he was gung-ho for UK to join the Euro.

[dean999]

Nice little unoffensive fireside chat, pass me the port will you there is a good chap! Cheque is in the post jolly good show, been a very rewarding little trip to your neck of the woods, already thinking about a follow up. Thinks " I could become a mediator in your reconciliation!" Does not matter if takes forever, still getting paid by the hour. Lifes is a beach and you should know you have some great ones here, difficult to turn down some of the wonderfully lucrative offers I have had since retiring from PM, it seems I just get richer and richer and all I do is talk a load of bull, do hope no one realizes!

Well written post.

I used to have great respect for Tony Blair, until he believed Bush about WMDs and then admitted that religion played a part in his decision making. He kept quiet about how religious he was whilst in office, then converted to Catholiscism after leaving his post as Pime Minister.

Do you think he kept his religion quite due to the peace process in Ireland. How far would he of got if he changed whilst being in talks.

[moooooooo]

I'm very confident about Thailand's future. I mean, it's not like it's going to slide off into the South China sea, is it?

[bprinceuk]

Before anyone believes his sales talk they should look at his failed track record. He as prime minister and accompanied by his wifes PC, sure managed to mess up the UK.

[penwithchris]

It is always very galling to see Tony Blair anywhere in the World. He is just a constant reminder of how the United Kingdom has been brought to it's knees by his actions while Prime Minister.

I cannot see any part of our society that was improved under the New Labour government. On the contrary, New Labour has left behind a nation in depression.

High unemployment, creaking transport systems, immigration and the benefit system out of control, the highest number of teenage pregnancies in Europe, the shoplifting capital of Europe, exorbitant fuel and energy prices, the National Health service in crisis, dreadful care of the elderly, high levels of illiteracy, irresponsible drinking and associated violence, yawning gap between rich and poor, 'sink' estates in most towns and cities, lack of housing, overcrowded prisons etc etc.

Tony Blair was only interested in self aggrandisment while in office, and now he is only interested in the acquisition of wealth and adding to his burgeoning property portfolio.

I am disappointed that any country would invite Tony Blair to speak on any subject. Thailand didn't need to be addressed by this charlatan. Better fit that they invited someone of real substance such as Richard Branson.

Edited January 18, 2012 by metisdead
Please do not post in all capital letters, bold, unusual fonts, sizes or colors. It can be difficult to read.

[paully]

He is a complete MUPPET and mean it in both senses a PUPPET and a MUPPET he ruined the UK and should go and crawl under a rock

DK

I'm much of your opinion, Diamond. Why on earth does anyone pay this unscrupulous, perma-tanned clown to advise them on anything?

You might as well ask the average foreign tourist what he thinks about Thailand. At least you'd get a genuine opinion without spin and self-serving nonsense. A lot cheaper, too.

[blazes]

Mrs. Thatcher would not have engaged in similar activity.

The Iron Lady was not for turning.

Shamefully, Blair was the male version of the Milk Snatcher. Did New Labour do anything worthwhile for the working classes? Oh yes, I forgot: new jobs created in the armed forces to go and root out Weapons of Mass Destruction.

[JurgenG]

I think he is paid (maybe by Thaksin, I have no proof) to deliver the message.

Since when is it a requirement here ?

Did someone change the rules when I was out ?